Postcards

[TomWW1]

Obviously sent from Lewisham apart from that I know nothing unfortunately bottom right reads: Best Wishes from Lewisham

Edited 6 December , 2023 by TomWW1

[FROGSMILE]

32 minutes ago, TomWW1 said:

Obviously sent from Lewisham apart from that I know nothing unfortunately 

He’s a Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) private as evidenced by the discrete Red Cross arm badge that was a special dress feature of that corps by all ranks. It’s likely a photo taken in late 1914 or early 1915 as he wears a simplified, emergency pattern jacket that was introduced as a stop gap to speed up production until the initial surge of new recruits had subsided to a manageable level.

Lewisham hospital which had been recently built was taken over as a military facility and would have had a number of RAMC personnel acting as medical orderlies.

Edited 6 December , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[TomWW1]

Just now, FROGSMILE said:

He’s a Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) private as evidenced by the special Red Cross arm badge that was a special dress feature of that corps by all ranks. It’s likely a photo taken in late 1914 or early 1915 as he wears a simplified, emergency pattern jacket that was introduced as a stop gap to speed up production until the initial surge of new recruits had subsided to a manageable level. 

Thank you Frogsmile, this is very useful information I just wish I knew the names of the people in these postcards

[FROGSMILE]

23 minutes ago, TomWW1 said:

Thank you Frogsmile, this is very useful information I just wish I knew the names of the people in these postcards

I’m glad to help and hope that you can see now the value of posting your photos individually.

[TomWW1]

57 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I’m glad to help and hope that you can see now the value of posting your photos individually.

I totally see it now it will make it easier in the long run 

[FROGSMILE]

4 minutes ago, TomWW1 said:

I totally see it now it will make it easier in the long run 

I merely meant that value can be added with further information following the analysis, including perhaps more images that add context to the post card that you post.

[TomWW1]

Here we are again with another postcard!

[FROGSMILE]

On 07/12/2023 at 08:01, TomWW1 said:

Here we are again with another postcard!

This is one of your more intriguing photos and shows a young member of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade either with his sweetheart or a sister.  Many young men who had gone to New Zealand in the period after the 2nd Anglo/Boer War enlisted there when war was declared and returned to Britain as part of the New Zealand expeditionary force bound for France, taking the opportunity enroute to visit their families in between training in Britain.

Their cap and collar insignia were based upon the crest of the Earl of Liverpool – a lion rampant holding a man-of-war’s church pennant on a chapeau above the regimental motto.  The Earl graciously granted them the secondary title of the Earl of Liverpool’s Own.  Each battalion was distinguished by the colour stitched to their shoulder straps upon which the shoulder title sat, a unique feature within the NZEF.

The reinforcements badge shown was subsequently dropped, and for France a cap badge of the same basic design as the collar insignia worn instead. 

“The New Zealand Rifle Brigade was created in April 1915 as a second New Zealand infantry brigade, to complement the brigade then serving at Gallipoli. Initially known as ‘the Trentham Regiment (Earl of Liverpool’s Own)’, its recruits were drawn from throughout the country. The 1st and 2nd Battalions arrived in Egypt in time to become the only New Zealand unit to participate in the Senussi Campaign.

In January 1916, New Zealand’s infantry was divided into three brigades. The Rifle Brigade was officially known as the 3rd New Zealand (Rifles) Brigade for the rest of the war (‘New Zealand Rifle Brigade’ also served as a regimental list or posting for its soldiers). It shifted to the Western Front in April 1916 and spent the rest of the war there.”

Edited 22 December , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[TomWW1]

1 minute ago, FROGSMILE said:

This is one of your more intriguing photos and shows a young member of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade either with his sweetheart or a sister.  Many young men who had gone to New Zealand in the period after the 2nd Anglo/Boer War enlisted there when war was declared and returned to Britain as part of the New Zealand forces bound for France, taking the opportunity enroute to visit their families in between training. 

This information is extremely interesting thank you and ill try which and whatever possible way to try and narrow it down even more!

[TomWW1]

Another postcard I have no information on whatsoever 

[FROGSMILE]

On 08/12/2023 at 09:29, TomWW1 said:

Another postcard I have no information on whatsoever 

It’s impossible to be sure about the unit of this one Tom, as his insignia is very blurred and it’s quite a poor quality image.  I thought at first possibly RAMC from the outline shape of the badge and what seems like possibly a straight shoulder title of larger letters.  However, that corps invariably wore a Red Cross badge and or armband, and it’s so tied up with their identity that it would only be missing in exceptional circumstances.  As a result I can’t be confident with any ID.

Looking at his uniform there are some clues as to date.  He wears a 1916 pattern soft trench cap of the unstructured kind designed to stuff in a pocket or equipment.  He wears shorts and has noticeably dusty puttees and boots.  All-in-all I think it probably dates to the early summer of 1916**, when there seem to have been quite a number of men photographed wearing serge shorts as a working dress during the hot weather leading up to the July Battle of the Somme. The photo was almost certainly taken in France.

**although it was also hot in the Summer of 1917.

Edited 8 February by FROGSMILE

[TomWW1]

4 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

It’s impossible to be sure about the unit of this one Tom, as his insignia is very blurred and it’s quite a poor quality image.  I thought at first possibly RAMC from the outline shape of the badge and what seems like possibly a straight shoulder title of larger letters.  However that corps invariably wore a Red Cross badge and or armband and it’s so tied up with their identity that it would only be missing in exceptional circumstances.  As a result I can’t be confident with any ID.

Looking at his uniform there are some clues as to date.  He wears a 1916 pattern soft trench cap of the unstructured kind designed to stuff in a locker or equipment.  He wears shorts and has noticeably dusty puttees and boots.  All-in-all I think it probably dates to the early summer of 1916, when there seem to have been quite a number of men photographed wearing shorts during the hot weather leading up to the July Battle of the Somme. The photo was almost certainly taken in France.

Thank you I think the back of this card says Carte Postale or something like that so France makes sense because it does sound French to me 

[FROGSMILE]

7 minutes ago, TomWW1 said:

Thank you I think the back of this card says Carte Postale or something like that so France makes sense because it does sound French to me 

Yes I think that’s correct.

[TomWW1]

4 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

Yes I think that’s correct.

Knew it

[TomWW1]

2 minutes ago, TomWW1 said:

Knew it

It is just very annoying I have no idea who these men are 

[FROGSMILE]

2 minutes ago, TomWW1 said:

It is just very annoying I have no idea who these men are 

You’ve repeated that quite a few times now Tom.

[TomWW1]

Just now, FROGSMILE said:

You’ve repeated that quite a few times now Tom.

Sorry just nags me quite a bit that’s all 

[FROGSMILE]

27 minutes ago, TomWW1 said:

Sorry just nags me quite a bit that’s all 

This isn’t text messaging.  It’s best to keep your posts meaningful as far as you possibly can, although it’s entirely acceptable to, e.g. give thanks, etc.

Extract from the 1st Anzac RO 507 of 4 December 1917:

301. CLOTHING -- UNAUTHORISED ALTERATION TO

It has come to notice that certain Units have been in the habit of wearing shorts as part of the recognised S. D. uniform, and that the trousers issued to the men have been cut down for the purpose.

This practice of cutting trousers into shorts is to cease.

Quote: courtesy of forum member - whitestarline.

Edited 8 December , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[TomWW1]

20 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

This isn’t text messaging.  It’s best to keep your posts meaningful as far as you possibly can, although it’s acceptable to give thanks, etc.

 

Extract from the 1st Anzac RO 507 of 4 December 1917:

301. CLOTHING -- UNAUTHORISED ALTERATION TO

It has come to notice that certain Units have been in the habit of wearing shorts as part of the recognised S. D. uniform, and that the trousers issued to the men have been cut down for the purpose.

This practice of cutting trousers into shorts is to cease.

Quote: courtesy of forum member - whitestarline.

Thanks 

[Pat Atkins]

On 07/12/2023 at 09:01, TomWW1 said:

Here we are again with another postcard!

I’m interested to see a wristwatch with a leather protective cover; I remember noticing that a very similar (indeed, superficially almost identical) item was common in the Israeli military when I was out that way as a teenager in the early 80s.

[FROGSMILE]

28 minutes ago, Pat Atkins said:

I’m interested to see a wristwatch with a leather protective cover; I remember noticing that a very similar (indeed, superficially almost identical) item was common in the Israeli military when I was out that way as a teenager in the early 80s.

That’s a good spot Pat.  The leather covers first became popular during WW1, first with a dual purpose, as they also provided a means of holding a pocket watch on the wrist, but soon as a protective cover for the new military (‘trench’) wrist watches that were becoming very popular.  I used to have one for my service issue ‘G1098’ wristwatch in the 1970s.  It was still wind-up and very similar looking, with classic black face and white numbers painted on with radioactive paint.

Edited 8 December , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[TomWW1]

Im fully aware this is getting a bit like groundhog day now but here is yet again another postcard

[FROGSMILE]

5 hours ago, TomWW1 said:

Im fully aware this is getting a bit like groundhog day now but here is yet again another postcard

That’s a really super photo of a rating in the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), which was then the Air Arm of the Royal Navy.  He wears army service dress but with RNAS buttons, cap and insignia (note leather peak unlike army).  Unfortunately I cannot see any rate (rank) or trade badges, which would have been on his upper arms.  Statistically he’s most likely to have been a fitter, or air mechanic.  On 1st April 1918 the RNAS merged with the Royal Flying Corps to form a new armed service, the Royal Air Force.

 

 

Edited 9 December , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[TomWW1]

Just now, FROGSMILE said:

That’s a really super photo of a rating in the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), which was then the Air Arm of the Royal Navy.  He wears army service dress but with RNAS buttons, cap and insignia (note leather peak unlike army).

What do you mean by super is this photo rare as such?

[FROGSMILE]

2 minutes ago, TomWW1 said:

What do you mean by super is this photo rare as such?

No, WW1 photos aren’t all that often especially rare, I just meant it’s of good quality.